_USNM 66352-M. Figure 6._
[Illustration: FIGURE 6]
This cockade eagle, which is struck in thin brass and silvered, was
excavated on the site of a War of 1812 cantonment. Comparison with
similar specimens in other collections indicates that the missing head
was turned to the right. This eagle is classed as an officer's device
because of its silvered brass composition. The elements comprising the
arc on which the eagle stands cannot be identified because of the
lightness of the strike.
¶ When the dragoons were disbanded in the 1802 reduction following the
dissipation of the French scare, distinctive hat devices other than
cockades disappeared from the service. In 1808, when the Army was
increased, the newly constituted regiments of light dragoons, light
artillery, and riflemen were authorized to wear leather caps. The cap
devices for these units were prescribed as Roman letters, "U.S.L.D.,"
"U.S.L.A.," and "U.S.R.R.," rather than plates. The letters were to be
of brass, 1-1/2 inches "in length."[44]
[Footnote 44: TODD, "Notes on the Dress," p. 10. Also, receipts from
George Green and Son, and letter dated August 6, 1808, from J. Smith
(Commissary General at Washington) to Tench Coxe requesting "brass
letters U.S.R.R." (Records AGO). George Green is listed in
Philadelphia directories of the period as a "brass founder and
gilder."]
[Illustration: FIGURE 7.--Specimens in Campbell collection.]
Illustrated in figure 7 are the letters "U" and "L", of brass,
slightly more than 1 inch "in length" and a letter D, of pewter, 1
inch "in length." The latter was excavated at Sackets Harbor, New
York, where elements of the light artillery dragoons and riflemen are
known to have served during 1813 and 1814. It seems obvious that
pewter letters were worn by the dragoons as consonant with their other
trimmings, for in July 1812 Col. James Burn of the 2d Light Dragoons
requested official permission to issue such.[45]
[Footnote 45: Letter dated July 8, 1812, from J. Burn to William
Eustis (Secretary of War) and letter dated July 9, 1812, from B.
Mifflin (Deputy Commissary General of Purchases). Both letters are in
Records AGO.]
With the large increase in the Army in 1812 came a change in the
headgear of some corps and also a change in insignia. The light
artillery was to wear a yoeman-crowned (i.e., wider at the crown than
at the base) black cap with "gilt plate in front," and the infantry
platoon officers and enlisted men were finally to have the black
cylindrical caps (first prescribed in 1810) with "an oblong silver
plate in front of the cap bearing the name of the corps and number of
the regiment."[46] The rifle platoon officers and enlisted men were
also to wear infantry caps, but with yellow trimmings.[47] The
dragoons were authorized "helmets" with "plates" in 1812, and the foot
artillery regiments in the fall of the same year were ordered to wear
caps like the light artillery instead of the _chapeaux de bras_
previously worn, which would have necessitated the use of plates.
[Footnote 46: General Orders, January 24, 1813 (Records AGO).]
[Footnote 47: Letter dated March 30, 1812, from Coxe to Eustis
(Records AGO); McBarron, "Regiment of Riflemen," p. 100.]
The foot units received their new insignia almost immediately, the cap
plates having been designed, contracted for, and delivered by late
February 1812 for the 5th, 6th, 12th, and 15th Infantry Regiments[48]
(the latter two were new units). This rapid action in regard to the
infantry plates appears to be strong witness to the emphasis placed on
distinctive insignia as morale factors and aids to enlistment, for
active recruiting for the 10 new regiments did not begin until several
months later. There were three different patterns of this infantry
plate manufactured and issued, two of which are described below.
[Footnote 48: Bill dated February 24, 1812, from William Crumpton
(Records AGO).]
All arms were wearing cap plates by the middle of 1813, for there is
record of such issue to the dragoons as well as record of rejection of
ill-struck specimens for infantry, artillery, and rifles.[49] These
plates were made variously by William Crumpton and George Armitage of
Philadelphia, and Aaron M. Peasley of Boston.[50] Philadelphia
directories list Crumpton as a button maker and silversmith between
1811 and 1822. Armitage is first listed in Philadelphia directories,
in 1800, as a "silver plate worker"; in 1801 he is listed as
"silverplater," and in 1820 as a "silverplater and military ornament
maker." Peasley was an ornament and insignia maker in Boston during
the same period.[51]
[Footnote 49: Letter dated August 31, 1812, from Eustis to Irvine;
General Order of January 24, 1813, Southern Department; letter dated
March 31, 1813, from Irvine to Amasa Stetson (Deputy Commissary
General of Purchases, Boston); and letter dated July 13, 1813, from
Irvine to M. T. Wickham. This material is in Records AGO.]
[Footnote 50: Letter from Irvine to Wickham dated July 13, 1813, and
bill from William Crumpton dated February 24, 1812 (both in Records
AGO).]
[Footnote 51: Statement of purchases for September 1813, by Stetson
(Records AGO).]
¶ The three types of infantry cap plates issued between 1812 and 1814
are somewhat similar, and all carry the prescribed "name of the corps
and number of the regiment." All three specimens of these types are
ground finds, two having been excavated after this work was in draft.
The first pictured specimen (fig. 8, left) is believed to be the
earliest pattern issued. Infantry plates as specified in the
regulations were contracted for with William Crumpton late in 1811 or
early 1812 by Tench Coxe, Purveyor of Public Supplies, and issued to
troop units not later than the early summer.[52] They had been in use
but a few months when their generally poor quality of composition
forced several regimental commanders to complain to the new Commissary
General of Purchases, Callendar Irvine, who had just superseded Coxe,
and to request something better. Irvine approved, and he let a
contract for new plates with George Armitage of Philadelphia.[53]
Irvine's reaction to the matter of the plates is an example of his
opinion of his predecessor, Coxe, and Coxe's work in general, which he
had observed while serving as Superintendent of Military Stores in
Philadelphia. In replying to the complaint of Colonel Simonds,
commanding officer of the 6th Infantry, Irvine wrote: "The plates are
mere tin, in some respects like the man who designed and contracted
for them, differing to him only as to durability ... I am contracting
for a plate of decent composition to issue with your next year's
clothing."[54]
[Footnote 52: Bill dated February 24, 1812, from William Crumpton
(Records AGO).]
[Footnote 53: Letter dated November 8, 1812, from Irvine to Colonel
Simonds (Commanding Officer, 6th Infantry); letter dated November 3,
1812, from Irvine to Colonel Pike (Commanding Officer, 15th Infantry);
and letter dated November 23, 1812, from Irvine to Armitage. These
letters are in Records AGO.]
[Footnote 54: Letter from Irvine to Simonds cited in preceding note.]
The first pattern carries the "name of the corps and the number of the
regiment," the 15th Infantry, commanded by Col. Zebulon Pike who was
one of the officers who complained to Irvine about the poor quality of
cap plates. The specimen is of tinned iron and the letters and
numerals have been struck with individual hand dies.
The two Armitage plates, very similar in over-all design (figures 8,
right, and 9), have been designated the second and third patterns. At
least one of these--perhaps both--apparently was designed by, and its
die sunk by, Moritz Furst, well-known die sinker and designer of
Philadelphia. On March 6, 1813, Irvine wrote the Secretary of War:
"Mr. Furst executed a die for this office for striking infantry cap
plates, designed by him, which has been admitted by judges to be
equal, if not superior, to anything of the kind ever produced in this
country."[55] Furst was Hungarian by birth. He studied design and die
sinking at the mint in Vienna and came to the United States in 1807
with the expectation of becoming Chief Engraver at the Philadelphia
Mint, an appointment which he did not receive. He sank the dies for
many of the medals voted to War of 1812 leaders, did the obverse die
work for a number of Indian peace medals, and is believed to have
designed the swords given by the State of New York to Generals Brown,
Scott, Gaines, and Macomb.[56]
[Footnote 55: Letter in Records AGO.]
[Footnote 56: "A Bit of U.S. Mint History," pp. 45-50; and
Chamberlain, pp. 588-592.]